This research considers the waiting and confinement experienced by young asylum seekers during and after their stay at a temporary shelter in Finland. The data for this research consists of interviews and ethnographic ‘hanging out’ with nine young asylum seekers throughout their asylum process. In order to generate new knowledge about the situated and fluid experiences of young adult asylum seekers’ confinement, this article focuses on four in-depth interviews with two young men, Kokab and Mahammed. They arrived in Finland in 2015, and are, at the time of writing this article, still waiting for their final asylum decisions. The results show, first, that while the time in the temporary shelter resembles physical, punitive confinement, it is also experienced as warm and social time. Second, the article argues that the confinement of young asylum seekers extends beyond the physical confinement, as they are for years confined in forced movement, indefinite waiting and othered as a number in the system.

This research focuses on the subjectification of young asylum-seeking men. By subjectification, we mean the effort an individual invests in detecting, negotiating, meeting and contesting the surrounding discursive expectations. The underlying question is: if someone wants to fulfil the position ascribed to them, that is be a 'good asylum seeker' and respond to the surrounding demands as much as possible, what would then, in fact, be a 'good asylum seeker'? The data consists of interviews and ethnographic hanging out with nine young asylum-seeking men throughout their asylum process. Based on their reflections on the discourses of the surrounding society, a 'good asylum seeker' is patient, active, positive and grateful; he normalises racism he faces and accepts prejudice towards himself. A 'good asylum seeker' also accepts the position of a less worthy human being, acknowledging that in an ideal situation he would be entirely away, out of sight or in another subject position. Our findings showcase the sheer impossibility of successfully filling the asylum seeker subject position, as the requirements are contradictory and unrealistic. Paradoxically, it could be said that a 'good asylum seeker' is no longer an asylum seeker.

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This narrative case study is an exploration of Mind–Body Bridging (MBB), an emerging mindfulness-based approach, and its impact on university students’ professional identities. MBB was used as content and an intervention tool in a psychology course. The study provides an in-depth analysis of two students’ narratives to illustrate and discuss the usefulness of MBB in the university setting. The findings demonstrate that MBB helped students develop their professional identity with regard to self-confidence, self-awareness, social relationships, and professional future. Moreover, the link between the development of students’ professional identities and their abilities to cope with work-related stress is found.

Artikkelissa käsitellään neljän hätämajoitusyksikössä asuvan nuoren turvapaikanhakijamiehen kokemuksia osallisuudesta omassa arjessaan. Tulosten perusteella osallisuus muotoutuu suhteessa tulevaisuuskuvaan, läheissuhteisiin, mahdollisuuksiin vaikuttaa omaan välittömään ja laajempaan ympäristöön, kohtaamisiin suomalaisten kanssa ja kokemuksiin omasta merkityksestä. Läpileikkaava teema osallisuutta parantavana tekijänä on tunne turvallisuudesta, johon kaikki osallisuuden tekijät palautuvat. Hätämajoitusyksikön välitilassa elävän, poliittista osallisuutta odottelevan turvapaikanhakijan ihmisarvoista elämää sekä toivoa tulevasta pitävät yllä sosiaalinen osallisuus, luottamukselliset suhteet ja turvallisuus.